It's been years since we were last here and how regretful are we of that! Since we were last here, the pub's survived threats of closure and transformation into an Indian restaurant. When all seemed lost, the pub was eventually bought out by a group of locals and now we have a serious contender for a super-pub. Heading in from the street (there's plenty of parking if you're driving, and it's also just 5 minutes' walk from Carshalton station) we were greeted by a what we can only describe as a proper pub smell. On the right was a cosy area with seating and a piano; the rest of the pub continued round to the left. We found 6 well-kept micro-brewed ales on the pumps and several ciders and a great choice of snacks. The bar menu itself is very good value with "Stew & bread" the sole fayre on offer on Sunday. We were eating elsewhere but it looked great. It appeared that we'd arrived at the tail-end of a beer festival but there were still some casks left out the back and plenty of punters getting involved. If you're after a gastro-affair with uniformed staff, keep walking. This place does this exactly as they should be. A great turnaround from 8 years ago. We're already planning our next visit!

Really odd place. Bad service with no professionalism. Regulars served before anyone else. Rude and slow staff. Beer always seem in the 10% range, which is fine if liver damage is your thing! Entering the pub feels like entering the pub in American werewolf in London. It is a woman free zone. You seem to have to have a beard to be made welcome. Full of regulars who were odd clothes and celebrate occult/pagan festivals and rites. Great - if that's your thing. Best avoided.

A pub that is owned by a consortium of its customers to prevent it being sold and turned into a restaurant. CAMRA pub of the year for the last two years. a minimum of 6 real ales, plus a choice of lagers (Brewdog's 77 lager, plus two "standard" brands) and real ciders/perry and a superb range of bottled beers from around the globe. The real ale choice changes on a daily basis and always excellent. Rowan and Colin are the bar managers and are excellent. Food is superb and (like the beers) not expensive. Often, there are locals who bring their musical instruments down for an session in the garden. The Hog Roasts (about two a year - a full pig on a spit done by the leaders from a local Scout Group) are something else! Regular beer festivals with another 9 beers on to choose from. No TV, music or fruit machines. Log fire in the winter. Good garden which in the summer really catches the sun. Car park is useful if you are only dropping in for one. Really friendly crowd and the staff really care about the beer, the food, what they are doing and the customers they are serving.

Anything wrong with the place? It could do with being a bit bigger as it is so popular and can get a bit crowded when really busy. However, I understand that the "community owners" have plans to extend the pub (and the cellar so they can store more beer to meet demand and to ensure that every pint stands and matures so it is always served at its best)

Best pub by far for miles around if you enjoy good beer, variety of choice and good company.

Definitely now the best of the local bunch. And now winner of CAMRA's Sutton Pub of the Year for 2009/10. Has been bought from Punch by a group of locals. I understand they want to bring in some decent lagers as well (beyond Stella, etc.), which is really all the place is missing. Well, except food. But I'd rather go to a great pub with no food than a mediocre one with. (See the Racehorse down the road for that)

Now one of the best pubs I have known. Run by two young women. A huge and constantly changing selection of real ales are available, with Hophead as a regular. One of the few pubs where older real-ale types actually help out, such is the goodwill towards the establishment.

The Hope is now under new management and specialises in real ale. The hope has no tv at all now, no background music and no pool table but it does have a wonderful open fire and a friendly welcoming atmosphere.